After the vampire hunters left I went upstairs to talk to Erica.
"Erica, your vampire hunters have located my amaryllis planter in the basement. They have decided that it is a coffin for a vampire. This really can't go on. If I don't say something to the police I believe they are likely to. They aren't accepting my explanations. I wouldn't either, to be truthful. Begley House doesn't need vampires, especially in these times."
"I'm sorry I got you into this vampire business, Mary Susan. I thought it was a good diversion at the time. I didn't know Constance Claire would jump into it as she did. I am truly sorry. But I can tell you I'm moving as quickly as I can towards a final resolution. I think I can guess who the man after me is, but I haven't got a single shred of hard evidence and I won't do anything without it."
"Who do you think it is?"
"I'd rather not say. I might be wrong. I'll probably know in the next day or so. Then it will be over, and I mean really over."
I had the feeling that I wasn't getting anywhere, but I pursued anyway. "OK, now tell me why you led a parade to the city graveyard yesterday. Can you tell me that?"
"Not much. I needed to be gone for a time. Gone from Begley House, I mean. Mary Susan, I know I'm not being frank with you. Please understand and give me just a day or two more. That's all I'll need, I'm sure."
"I was planning to say something to my guests this evening at tea. I will not do so. I will give you two days, then I really must say something. I just can't have vampires in Begley House.
"Begley House has a reputation for harboring free thinkers of all sorts, socialists, even possible communists. We rent rooms on a co-educational basis. That would prove very controversial to say the least if the community at large became aware of it. We get away with all this because we have unofficial support of the college community and are so far unnoticed by the community at large. My personal reputation in the community helps a little, I'm sure.
"A vampire scare would change all of that. We would come under close scrutiny by religious people, ultra-patriots, and witch-hunters of all persuasions. They would find that there is much to deplore at Begley House and would insist that it be closed down. They would do this whether or not they ever found a vampire, or an anarchist, or a socialist, or anything else that might strike someone as unamerican.
"So I ask you one more time. Have you told me everything you can about this?"
Erica closed her eyes, then opened them again. "There is one more thing, I'm afraid. You haven't changed your mind about the pistol, have you?"
I had almost forgotten the pistol discussion. Did she really mean to use it? I looked at her face. It was calm. Cold, but calm. She really meant to use the pistol, I was sure. I put pleading into my voice when I asked her, "You don't intend to murder anyone, do you?
"I'm almost sure I won't have to. If I know those people, my adversary will be under a great deal of stress right now, and be forced to take risks. I'm counting on that. Still, it may be a near thing. I don't mind that.
"There is an alternative to what I am doing. I can leave Begley House and the college, right now, today, and go into hiding. They know all about me, where I live, where my family lives. They will look for me, especially as I have taken flight. And I'm sure they will find me one day. So when they do, maybe I'll get another chance somewhere else. I will do that if you ask me to.
I sat in silence for a long moment. What was I really doing here at Begley House, permitting, even encouraging, ideas and discussion not safely discussed these days? At least, they are not generally discussed in safety with meals and a warm bed included in the package. Did I really believe in what I was doing? Was it really possible that it could result in violence? But then I thought of recent events, only read about in our sleepy little college town, but very real in other places. People were getting hurt, and imprisoned, and even killed in our fair land over ideas freely discussed at Begley House. It was horrible to think about but it was real. But does the stupidity and violence have to come to Begley House? I hoped not. But I was decided.
"OK, Erica, you have your two days. I won't say anything right now. I won't be checking up on the pistol, either, should you need reassurance about that. It will remain in it's accustomed place."
I almost couldn't believe I had just said that. But I had. I must not know myself as well as I thought I did. I left Erica and went downstairs to my office. I was sure putting a lot of confidence in that young woman. I was putting Begley House and my own future on the line for her.
At Parlor that evening, as arguments and discussions about vampires in general and local manifestations in particular were taking place, the doorbell rang. It was the same telegram delivery boy, in the same uniform and cap and with the same bicycle as before. I gave the boy a nickel out of the cup and signed for the telegram. It was for Erica. I was not surprised. I gave it to her soundlessly.
She opened it, read it, and handed it back to me. Then she said to the group, "Something serious is happening at home, and I must go there immediately. I will leave in the morning. I might not be back before the end of term. If that is the case, I wish you well in all your classes and I hope to see you next term."
With that said, she marched up the stairs and we saw no more of her that night. The telegram was short and to the point.
COME AT ONCE X FAMILY EMERGENCY X MARJORIE
I left it on the tea table. That was very careless of me, leaving other peoples private correspondence out like that. I then took the tea tray back to the kitchen, quickly, before Margaret caught on and snatched it from me. She was slowed by having to put on her apron and cap before she could move. The telegram was still on the tea table when I closed up at 10:30.